Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 46 (2006) 447-460
DOI: 10.1051/rnd:2006024

Endocrine and metabolic factors involved in the effect of nutrition on the production of colostrum in female sheep

Georgett E. Banchero^a, Raquel Perez Clariget^b, Roberta Bencini^c, David R. Lindsay^c, John T.B. Milton^c and Graeme B. Martin<sup>c

a</sup>  National Institute of Agricultural Research, INIA La Estanzuela, Ruta 50 Km 12 Colonia, Uruguay
^b  Animal and Forage Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Avda. E. Garzón 780, 12900, Montevideo, Uruguay
^c  School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6907, Australia

(Published online 7 July 2006)

Abstract - We investigated the physiological relationship between diet during pregnancy and colostrum production in ewes to test the hypothesis that for ewes that are in low body condition, with low fat reserves, the food supply will be the main source of energy for colostrum synthesis. To this end, we measured the amount of colostrum accumulated by ewes under two levels of nutrition. We also measured the circulating concentrations of metabolites and hormones associated with lactogenesis (-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, progesterone, prolactin, cortisol, growth hormone, leptin, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I) Ewes were either under-fed at 70 (n = 15) or well-fed at 110% (n = 10) of their daily metabolisable energy requirement during the last two months of pregnancy. Colostrum accumulation up to parturition was  g for under-fed ewes and  g for well-fed ewes. After birth, under-fed ewes produced less colostrum than well-fed ewes but the difference was no longer significant. The level of nutrition also influenced the plasma concentrations of hormones and metabolites related to lactogenesis. Progesterone concentrations decreased before lambing in all animals but in under-fed ewes the fall appeared to be too small to initiate the onset of colostrum production. -hydroxybutyrate concentrations were higher in under-fed than in well-fed ewes, suggesting that the under-fed ewes were mobilising more adipose tissue but they still did not meet their ME requirements for colostrum production. We concluded that, in underfed ewes, there are insufficient nutrients for adequate lactation and the hormone regime is inappropriate for good udder development and colostrum synthesis.

Key words: udder development / lactogenesis / -hydroxybutyrate / glucose / progesterone / prolactin / cortisol / growth hormone / leptin / insulin / insulin-like growth factor-I / lamb mortality

Corresponding author: banchero@inia.org.uy

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2006